Janet Finch-Saunders: Thank you very much, and thank you for taking the intervention. I didn't quite hear what Alun said. I didn't honestly say that I supported it; I didn't mean that, anyway.
Janet Finch-Saunders: Do you believe, though, that, as well as it being a Government responsibility—? What can the Government do to empower more people to take some responsibility? The reason I ask this question is that so many people say to me, 'Oh, I'd love solar panels, but I haven't a clue how to go about it', or 'I'd love to put a heat pump in, I have no idea what I'm doing.' Is there a way that Government...
Janet Finch-Saunders: With the Russian war in Ukraine having made almost all constituents realise the need for Wales and the UK to produce more renewable energy, now is the time for the Welsh Government to supercharge some action. I am confident that there are more areas upon which we agree to enable the whole Senedd to co-operate to see Wales achieve its energy potential. Diolch.
Janet Finch-Saunders: Yes, sure.
Janet Finch-Saunders: Yes, of course. Another key issue stifling the expansion of renewable energy is the lack of adequate grid infrastructure, and I have to say, every time I've met with members of the industry, they actually cite this as being a really big issue, a big barrier. You've accepted recommendation 7 only in principle, and at a time when the House of Commons Welsh Affairs Committee suggests that the UK...
Janet Finch-Saunders: I thank my committee Chair—our committee Chair—for leading off this debate. The following quote from our cross-party committee report does actually rightly highlight the Welsh Labour Government failure to unleash the renewable energy potential of Wales: 'The Welsh Government’s 2012 energy strategy promised a range of actions to improve the planning and consenting process, and grid...
Janet Finch-Saunders: Yes, of course.
Janet Finch-Saunders: With all due respect, this is emergency legislation. We have a war situation, and that is really, really—. We don't even know what's going to happen now, where things may get even worse than what we're facing at the moment. When faced with a warlike situation that we have, when faced with such an emergency, it is vital that this institution plays a responsible part, and so I have no...
Janet Finch-Saunders: Now, this LCM relates to landmark legislation, and it's legislation that needs to be enacted quickly. The Russian invasion of Ukraine has, without doubt, led to the price of oil and gas surging around the world. Thanks to the UK Government, consumers now will be having help with their bills. These new emergency powers will ensure that consumers across the country, from Anglesey to Aberdeen,...
Janet Finch-Saunders: Just answer the question.
Janet Finch-Saunders: Thank you, Minister. I can honestly assure you that no-one has ever needed to put words in my mouth. We don't need to go back to the 1930s; 23 years is long enough for the people of Wales to have been failed by your lack of house building. Central to the house building process in Wales are planning and regulatory officers, but so overwhelmed are they with work that I know my own local...
Janet Finch-Saunders: I am. You said that this level of discussion about the release of marine nutrients is held at official level. You need to take a leadership role in this. And will you clarify, Minister, whether you are developing a strategy in case the release of marine nutrient data leads to yet more nutrient management issues that exacerbate the house building crisis?
Janet Finch-Saunders: Minister, I am not here to scrutinise your performance over the last few weeks, but I am here to scrutinise and challenge the performance of a Welsh Labour Government over 23 years that has failed consistently, year on year, to build the right number of houses. You must now—. Stop looking to the UK Government to blame them. This is your mess. Devolution under a Welsh Labour Government over...
Janet Finch-Saunders: Thank you. Diolch, Llywydd. Minister, last Friday I joined an urgent meeting with a group of registered social landlords to discuss the future of social housing in Wales. Amongst their fears and their worries and concerns, there was this feeling that Welsh Government, in their opinion, has failed to create a strong foundation to drive social housing new builds. Only around 9,000 housing...
Janet Finch-Saunders: Thank you. I recently met with the Welsh Cladiators, and they are very much in despair at what they consider to be a lack of progress made in Wales. Of course, First Minister, you'll know that there are approximately 163 buildings across Wales where residents are still living in fear. Now, I appreciate £375 million has been made available to tackle some building safety aspects, but some...
Janet Finch-Saunders: 1. Will the First Minister fast-track legislation on building safety in Wales? OQ58574
Janet Finch-Saunders: Can I take an intervention?
Janet Finch-Saunders: Yes, can I make an intervention? [Laughter.] I beg your pardon. Would you withdraw the comments that you've just made about landlords doing their properties up out of the public purse and then selling them on? That is not allowed. If you have one of the lease agreements with any local authority where they give you money—I think at the moment it's about £25,000—you have to pay that money...
Janet Finch-Saunders: Would you take an intervention?
Janet Finch-Saunders: Will you take an intervention?
